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Thursday, 7 March 2013

TT motorcycle Legends on TV

Just
Three (Fast) Blokes

The
voiceover introducing the start of the ITV series TT Legends,
being broadcast in half hour
slots on Monday nights tells of 'ordinary men doing extraordinary
things'. It follows the Honda motorcycle TT Legends Team of John McGuinness,
Simon Andrews and Cameron Donald as they tackled their demanding
(2012) race programme.

Demanding
because they are signed up to compete in the world endurance road
race series and, in almost complete contrast, 'real' road races; the
NW200, Ireland's largest sporting event, and the the Isle of Man TT
races.

The
programmes are an insight into the spectacular high risk world of
motorcycle racing, and put the three racers personalities out there
for us to observe and enjoy, because in one sense they are 'ordinary
men'. They come across as humble, unassuming and free of the clichéd
language beloved of many sports people – think mostly footballers –
and commentators. They could be your mates.

'This shouldn't be happening to me'

Mark
Weber the Formula One driver and bike racing enthusiast, showed up at
the TT to support the team, and in one sequence John McGuinness tells
of a suggestion Weber made for them to fly out to Valencia to watch
Moto GP. He was up for this and happy to book Easy Jet tickets.
Whereas Weber had in mind for them to take to the skies in his
private jet. McGuinness's 'this shouldn't be happening to me'
reaction is priceless and a measure of a man still close to his
Morecambe roots and the fans that want to be around him.

The
cameras also followed McGuinness and Andrews as they gave a mini-tour
of their motor homes, and divulged with some humour the contents of
their fridges. John Mc, with some stereotypical northern fare, while
Simon is obviously a man who gives more consideration to 'healthy
options'.

Cameron
Donald and his girlfriend Kaz stashed themselves in a small N Ireland
seaside town for the race season. Handy for the NW 200, but a
dramatic climate change away from the warmth of their home city of
Melbourne. But they laughed and concentrated on the positives of the
welcoming atmosphere of the people around their new location.

Ordinary men? Not really

In
one sense these are 'ordinary men'. But people who race at this level
are very different in the way their biological and neurological make
up allows them to risk, race, crash, recover, see friends seriously
injured and die, and still continue to get on that bike and go for
the win.

Simon
Andrews, still recovering from very serious race injuries, but able to
carry out his commitments in the team, crashed at 140mph on the
mountain at the TT; and from his hospital bed his comment was that he
would know how to ride that section better and faster next time. This was not said with bravado; just the way your brain has to function at this
level of racing. Not really 'ordinary men' at all.

Motorcycles on TV

It's
always good to see motorcycle related programmes scheduled at peak
viewing times (8.30pm), and ITV4 put in their stint of programming
with TT and NW200 coverage and the Motorbike Show. I don't want to
seem ungrateful that the sport we love is being exposed to a wider
audience, but editors have a tendency to try and cram too much into
the time available. The result being that the programme edit flashes
scenes before you for seconds with breathless commentary. Quick sound
bites from current and ex racers, team mechanics and managers hardly
gives the viewer time to assimilateit. Whether it's the vastly
experienced and interesting team manager Neil Tuxworth or gabbling
Guy Martin with his hybrid northern vowels. Less is more, editing
people, and viewers not initiated into 'our world' would gain more
insight from a less frenetic presentation.

Suzuka Eight hour race - coming up

Criticism
over. If you haven't caught up with this series, go to ITV4 next
Monday evening at 8.30pm; the next edition is about the Suzuka Eight
Hour race from Japan (warning: it's not repeated on the catch up
service...I've tried as I missed the episode from the Bol D'Or).

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